Surrounded by Violence, Overcoming Through Faith

Dol thought attending college would be exciting, but he never expected his life would be in danger just walking to and from school. Dol dreamed of being an electrical engineer, but education is costly in Thailand and his parents couldn’t even afford to send him to high school.

So he was excited when given the opportunity to attend one of the best schools in the province, which is run by one of Compassion’s local church partners. After graduating, Dol was accepted into the Leadership Development Program, which provides students with a college education and trains them to be strong and effective Christian leaders.

As the only Christian at the Patumwan Institute of Technology, where he is in his fourth year, Dol is surrounded by people who ridicule his faith and try to lead him astray. The students there are also embroiled in a decades-long violent conflict with rival universities that has left several students dead, including one of Dol’s classmates.

The danger is so high, Dol has to change out of his school uniform before walking home to avoid being attacked. “It is the firm foundation that I received at the Compassion project and the encouragement of my LDP mentor that allows me to remain steadfast in my faith,” says Dol. “The training and support the Leadership Development Program provides gives me the strength to rise above the peer pressure and violence surrounding me,” he adds. Despite the difficulties he faces, Dol maintains a 3.45 GPA.

“I thank God that I have a mentor, provided by the Leadership Development Program," says Dol. “He always reminds me that I have God on my side and that I can overcome anything through His strength. I can set an example for my peers to remind them that we are students, not gangsters."